Turowski2 Architecture was commissioned by the New Bedford Public School District for a study to re-establish the Hannigan Elementary School as a Pre-K through Grade 5 school in the City’s south end. Following several years of student displacement and partial dispersal to other City schools due to safety concerns, the existing Hannigan School building was demolished to make way for the new Irwin M. Jacobs Elementary School. Situated on a 1.6 acre water-adjacent lot, the building’s dense urban context consists of multi-family houses and historic mill buildings. The building takes advantage of water views and its design emulates the city’s maritime history.

The new Jacobs School is a 74,000 SF, 3-story building housing 430 students in Grades Pre-K through Grade 5.  The design establishes community grade clusters with nearby specialized and tutorial instruction spaces for ease of transitions during the school day and to foster collaboration among staff.  Corridors are punctuated by colorful front-porches, serving as flexible and varied small-group learning spaces. The library, rising above the entrance, takes a prominent location at the “bow of the ship.”  In line with its ship-like exterior, each classroom has a “porthole to the world,” providing views of the water. The third floor features an art classroom and fabrication lab which opens onto a large rooftop classroom, helping foster connections to the local environment. The efficient design maximizes use of the small site to meet the needs of students and staff and provide a safe space that encourages a sense of community connection.